START DATES FOR THE 2017 MONTANE® SPINE® RACE & CHALLENGER:

MONTANE® SPINE® RACE: 0800, 15 JAN 2017

MONTANE® SPINE® CHALLENGER: 0800, 14 JAN 2017

MONTANE® SPINE® MRT CHALLENGE: 1200, 14 JAN 2017

FOR LIVE RACE TRACKERS PLEASE CLICK THE LINK:

WELCOME TO THE MONTANE® SPINE® RACE

Welcome to the Official website of the MONTANE® Spine® Race and Challenger. When we started this event, we hoped, but never could have believed, the profound effect the race has had; mostly on us but we hope on others too! From our humble beginnings (15 participants) the MONTANE® Spine® Races have grown to become iconic British winter challenges. Which now attract a considerable international field and audience. Each edition of the race has shown us just how brutal the British winter can be. Unrelenting, wild and savage have been used to describe the event to good effect. At times the conditions may feel overwhelming but with the right amount of determination you can achieve a lot more than you may think.

EVENTS

The MONTANE® Spine® Race is a 268 mile, non-stop, uncompromising winter challenge encompassing the entire Pennine Way. Widely recognised as one of the most demanding National Trails in Britain.

In 2017 we are organising our first ever Summer Event Series, the MONTANE® Spine® Fusion & Flare. These events are the Summer versions of our winter classics. Can you complete the Pennine Way in 7 days?

MONTANE® SPINE® MRT CHALLENGE

In association with Mountain Rescue England & Wales and Border SAR (BSARU), active members from Mountain Rescue teams will be participating in the Montane® Spine® MRT Challenge. This is a special challenge only available to Mountain Rescue personnel.

Participants will be raising funds for their respective teams or MREW, in one of the toughest winter races you can find. Not only do these individuals volunteer their time 365 days a year, they are committed to raising awareness and funds for an essential emergency service.

Petzl’s roots lie in the desire of its founders to serve one passion: exploration. Since its beginnings in caving, the company’s mission has remained constant: to offer practical solutions that allow people to progress. Today that pioneering spirit, passion for exploration and ethic have not changed. More than forty years later, Petzl continues to invent products and provide solutions that allow sports enthusiasts and professionals to access some of the most inaccessible places, both day and night.

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

We have teamed up with Meldelaeufer of Germany to create greater links between British and German Ultra-Runners. Meldelaeufer are one of the biggest names in Germany when it comes to trail running in spectacular surroundings. They are the organisers of the Hexentanz, Hexenstieg and Goldsteig amongst many others. Michael Frenz, a Spine finisher and a great friend of ours is your contact in Germany and is offering some fantastic benefits and assistance to German based athletes. Click the image to visit the site.

We pride ourselves on being able to operate in remote & mountainous locations with kit which is light and fast, so we can scramble, run and climb alongside the athletes, to get a true insight into a world of extremes.

INSPIRING QUOTES OR NOT SO…

Mark Caldwell: 2012 (2nd), 2014 Spine® Race, 2013 Challenger (2nd). A Spine® Legend and the only non-human to complete the race. Mark is in fact the Ayrshire Android, he’s made in Scotland and we aren’t sure what from…

“The Spine® Race is easy apart from:- its dark most of the time; your feet then body will fall apart; the compulsory baggage doesn’t get any lighter; sleep is a luxury; you experience extremes of weather and cold; and finally of course it’s 268 miles long. Many will try to break the Spine® but most will become race statistics. Good luck to all who enter!”

OFFICIAL CHARITY PARTNER

An estimated 200,000 people in the UK live with AS. NASS is the only charity fighting to improve treatment and care to help people with AS take control of their lives. And with your support, they’re funding vital research to help beat AS. For further information please visit:

SPINE TEAM

The Spine Team is made up of a huge number of individuals who make this event happen. From the person who cooks your meal, helps you on the hill, fixes your feet or drives your bag to the next checkpoint; they are all part of the Spine Team. A truly great bunch.